


The Queen, Alone

by lea_hazel



Series: The Queen and the General [1]
Category: Wonder Woman (2017), Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, Community: purimgifts, Established Relationship, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:04:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13765692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lea_hazel/pseuds/lea_hazel
Summary: She could not question her at this time. Not in public, maybe not at all.





	The Queen, Alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [semperfiona](https://archiveofourown.org/users/semperfiona/gifts).



They stood on the beach and watched the Daughter of Themyscira sail away. The Queen's eyes were dry. Was she truly resigned to losing her daughter this way? It was hard to tell. Philippus knew that Hippolyta was Queen before she was a mother, and could not always choose to express herself freely. The battle on the beach had been their first in centuries. Amazons lay dead, awaiting their proper funeral rites, for the first time in centuries. And the warriors of Themyscira were without their General. They needed their Queen to be strong.

The Amazons needed their Queen, and Hippolyta needed Philippus.

She could not question her at this time. Not in public, maybe not at all.

"My Queen," said Philippus under her breath.

Queen Hippolyta nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

"I am at your service, now and always, in whatever capacity you have need of me," said Philippus, and the words had the gravity of a solemn oath, so that she could feel them pulling her down, sinking her feet in the soft sand of Themyscira's perfect beaches.

"I am grateful, Philippus, for your unwavering loyalty," said the Queen, "in these trying times. Come, let's return to the palace."

At sundown all the women gathered in the agorah and the Queen stood up to address them all as one. The fisherwomen and the weavers, the carpenters and the bakers, every soul who wasn't on the beach during that fateful day. She told them, in brief, about the attack and the rescued spy, and the war in Man's World that Princess Diana had vowed to fight in. And told, of course, of General Antiope's bravery in battle and her great sacrifice. There were no secrets among Amazons.

While the gathered women were speaking among themselves, trying to make sense of the great changes that were sweeping suddenly over their island, Philippus and the royal guard quietly retreated the Queen back to the royal palace. Queen Hippolyta dismissed her guard and poured herself a cup of wine, but asked Philippus to stay behind. She stood at attention, watching the Queen drain her wine and then pour herself a second cup. She hesitated, and then filled another cup and offered it to her.

"Please," said Hippolyta, "don't stand on formality, now of all times."

She accepted the cup and, after an encouraging gesture from her Queen, took a seat across from her.

"I need you, Philippus," said Hippolyta.

The words sent a pang through her heart, though it wasn't the first time she'd heard them. "I am here for you, my Queen, I swear."

Hippolyta sipped, and set down her cup. "I need you to be more than a lover, more than a friend," she said. "Antiope is gone, Philippus. I need you to take on her burdens, as well as your own. Will you be my general? Will you lead Themyscira's women in battle, when the time comes?"

It was not within her power to say no.

[](//imgur.com/AhBTFeu)


End file.
